SFTP is a very widely used protocol which many organizations use today for transferring files within their organization or across organizations. Creating a VM based SFTP is costly and high-maintenance. ACI service is very inexpensive and requires very little maintenance, while data is stored in Azure Files which is a fully managed SMB service in cloud.
This template demonstrates an creating a SFTP server using Azure Container Instances (ACI). The template generates two resources:
- storage account is the storage account used for persisting data, and contains the Azure Files share
- sftp-group is a container group with a mounted Azure File Share. The Azure File Share will provide persistent storage after the container is terminated.
ARM Template for creation of SFTP with New Azure File Share and a new Azure Storage account
Resources.json
{
"$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
"metadata": {
"_generator": {
"name": "bicep",
"version": "0.4.63.48766",
"templateHash": "17013458610905703770"
}
},
"parameters": {
"storageAccountType": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "Standard_LRS",
"metadata": {
"description": "Storage account type"
},
"allowedValues": [
"Standard_LRS",
"Standard_ZRS",
"Standard_GRS"
]
},
"storageAccountPrefix": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "sftpstg",
"metadata": {
"description": "Prefix for new storage account"
}
},
"fileShareName": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "sftpfileshare",
"metadata": {
"description": "Name of file share to be created"
}
},
"sftpUser": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "sftp",
"metadata": {
"description": "Username to use for SFTP access"
}
},
"sftpPassword": {
"type": "securestring",
"metadata": {
"description": "Password to use for SFTP access"
}
},
"location": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "[resourceGroup().location]",
"metadata": {
"description": "Primary location for resources"
}
},
"containerGroupDNSLabel": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "[uniqueString(resourceGroup().id, deployment().name)]",
"metadata": {
"description": "DNS label for container group"
}
}
},
"functions": [],
"variables": {
"sftpContainerName": "sftp",
"sftpContainerGroupName": "sftp-group",
"sftpContainerImage": "atmoz/sftp:debian",
"sftpEnvVariable": "[format('{0}:{1}:1001', parameters('sftpUser'), parameters('sftpPassword'))]",
"storageAccountName": "[take(toLower(format('{0}{1}', parameters('storageAccountPrefix'), uniqueString(resourceGroup().id))), 24)]"
},
"resources": [
{
"type": "Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts",
"apiVersion": "2019-06-01",
"name": "[variables('storageAccountName')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"kind": "StorageV2",
"sku": {
"name": "[parameters('storageAccountType')]"
}
},
{
"type": "Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/fileServices/shares",
"apiVersion": "2019-06-01",
"name": "[toLower(format('{0}/default/{1}', variables('storageAccountName'), parameters('fileShareName')))]",
"dependsOn": [
"[resourceId('Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts', variables('storageAccountName'))]"
]
},
{
"type": "Microsoft.ContainerInstance/containerGroups",
"apiVersion": "2019-12-01",
"name": "[variables('sftpContainerGroupName')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"properties": {
"containers": [
{
"name": "[variables('sftpContainerName')]",
"properties": {
"image": "[variables('sftpContainerImage')]",
"environmentVariables": [
{
"name": "SFTP_USERS",
"secureValue": "[variables('sftpEnvVariable')]"
}
],
"resources": {
"requests": {
"cpu": 1,
"memoryInGB": 1
}
},
"ports": [
{
"port": 22,
"protocol": "TCP"
}
],
"volumeMounts": [
{
"mountPath": "[format('/home/{0}/upload', parameters('sftpUser'))]",
"name": "sftpvolume",
"readOnly": false
}
]
}
}
],
"osType": "Linux",
"ipAddress": {
"type": "Public",
"ports": [
{
"port": 22,
"protocol": "TCP"
}
],
"dnsNameLabel": "[parameters('containerGroupDNSLabel')]"
},
"restartPolicy": "OnFailure",
"volumes": [
{
"name": "sftpvolume",
"azureFile": {
"readOnly": false,
"shareName": "[parameters('fileShareName')]",
"storageAccountName": "[variables('storageAccountName')]",
"storageAccountKey": "[listKeys(resourceId('Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts', variables('storageAccountName')), '2019-06-01').keys[0].value]"
}
}
]
},
"dependsOn": [
"[resourceId('Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts', variables('storageAccountName'))]"
]
}
],
"outputs": {
"containerDNSLabel": {
"type": "string",
"value": "[format('{0}.{1}.azurecontainer.io', reference(resourceId('Microsoft.ContainerInstance/containerGroups', variables('sftpContainerGroupName'))).ipAddress.dnsNameLabel, reference(resourceId('Microsoft.ContainerInstance/containerGroups', variables('sftpContainerGroupName')), '2019-12-01', 'full').location)]"
}
}
}
Parameters.json
{
"$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentParameters.json#",
"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
"parameters": {
"storageAccountType": {
"value": "Standard_LRS"
},
"storageAccountPrefix": {
"value": "sftpstg"
},
"fileShareName": {
"value": "sftpfileshare"
},
"sftpUser": {
"value": "sftp"
},
"sftpPassword": {
"value": null
},
"location": {
"value": "[resourceGroup().location]"
},
"containerGroupDNSLabel": {
"value": "[uniqueString(resourceGroup().id, deployment().name)]"
}
}
}
ARM Template to Enable SFTP for an Existing Azure File Share in Azure Storage account
Resources.json
{
"$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
"metadata": {
"_generator": {
"name": "bicep",
"version": "0.4.63.48766",
"templateHash": "16190402726175806996"
}
},
"parameters": {
"existingStorageAccountResourceGroupName": {
"type": "string",
"metadata": {
"description": "Resource group for existing storage account"
}
},
"existingStorageAccountName": {
"type": "string",
"metadata": {
"description": "Name of existing storage account"
}
},
"existingFileShareName": {
"type": "string",
"metadata": {
"description": "Name of existing file share to be mounted"
}
},
"sftpUser": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "sftp",
"metadata": {
"description": "Username to use for SFTP access"
}
},
"sftpPassword": {
"type": "securestring",
"metadata": {
"description": "Password to use for SFTP access"
}
},
"location": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "[resourceGroup().location]",
"metadata": {
"description": "Primary location for resources"
}
},
"containerGroupDNSLabel": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "[uniqueString(resourceGroup().id, deployment().name)]",
"metadata": {
"description": "DNS label for container group"
}
}
},
"functions": [],
"variables": {
"sftpContainerName": "sftp",
"sftpContainerGroupName": "sftp-group",
"sftpContainerImage": "atmoz/sftp:debian",
"sftpEnvVariable": "[format('{0}:{1}:1001', parameters('sftpUser'), parameters('sftpPassword'))]"
},
"resources": [
{
"type": "Microsoft.ContainerInstance/containerGroups",
"apiVersion": "2019-12-01",
"name": "[variables('sftpContainerGroupName')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"properties": {
"containers": [
{
"name": "[variables('sftpContainerName')]",
"properties": {
"image": "[variables('sftpContainerImage')]",
"environmentVariables": [
{
"name": "SFTP_USERS",
"secureValue": "[variables('sftpEnvVariable')]"
}
],
"resources": {
"requests": {
"cpu": 1,
"memoryInGB": 1
}
},
"ports": [
{
"port": 22,
"protocol": "TCP"
}
],
"volumeMounts": [
{
"mountPath": "[format('/home/{0}/upload', parameters('sftpUser'))]",
"name": "sftpvolume",
"readOnly": false
}
]
}
}
],
"osType": "Linux",
"ipAddress": {
"type": "Public",
"ports": [
{
"port": 22,
"protocol": "TCP"
}
],
"dnsNameLabel": "[parameters('containerGroupDNSLabel')]"
},
"restartPolicy": "OnFailure",
"volumes": [
{
"name": "sftpvolume",
"azureFile": {
"readOnly": false,
"shareName": "[parameters('existingFileShareName')]",
"storageAccountName": "[parameters('existingStorageAccountName')]",
"storageAccountKey": "[listKeys(extensionResourceId(format('/subscriptions/{0}/resourceGroups/{1}', subscription().subscriptionId, parameters('existingStorageAccountResourceGroupName')), 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts', parameters('existingStorageAccountName')), '2019-06-01').keys[0].value]"
}
}
]
}
}
],
"outputs": {
"containerDNSLabel": {
"type": "string",
"value": "[format('{0}.{1}.azurecontainer.io', reference(resourceId('Microsoft.ContainerInstance/containerGroups', variables('sftpContainerGroupName'))).ipAddress.dnsNameLabel, reference(resourceId('Microsoft.ContainerInstance/containerGroups', variables('sftpContainerGroupName')), '2019-12-01', 'full').location)]"
}
}
}
Parameters.json
{
"$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentParameters.json#",
"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
"parameters": {
"existingStorageAccountResourceGroupName": {
"value": null
},
"existingStorageAccountName": {
"value": null
},
"existingFileShareName": {
"value": null
},
"sftpUser": {
"value": "sftp"
},
"sftpPassword": {
"value": null
},
"location": {
"value": "[resourceGroup().location]"
},
"containerGroupDNSLabel": {
"value": "[uniqueString(resourceGroup().id, deployment().name)]"
}
}
}
Deploy the ARM Templates using PowerShell or Azure CLI or Custom Template deployment using Azure Portal.
- Choose the subscription you want to create the sftp service in
- Create a new Resource Group
- It will automatically create a storage account
- Give a File Share Name
- Provide a SFTP user name
- Provide a SFTP password
- Wait till the deployment is done successfully
- Click on the container sftp-group
- Copy the FQDN from the container group
- Download WinScp from WinSCP :: Official Site :: Download
- Provide Hostname : FQDN for ACI; Port Number: 22; User Name and Password
- Click on Login
13. Drag and drop a file from the left side to the Right side.
14. Now, go to the Storage Account and Navigate to File share. The file appears on the file share.
Updated Oct 26, 2022
Version 1.0
Sudipta_Chakraborty
Microsoft
Microsoft
